Philosophy

The mission of Irvine Hebrew Day School is to cultivate active and creative minds, foster a community of joyful learning, create compassionate and respectful citizens and nurture a thoughtful, spiritual and personal relationship with Jewish life, Torah learning and the state of Israel.

Dear Community,

With reputable secular schools in the area, one might ask, “Why should I choose a Jewish education for my child?” Walking through the doors of Irvine Hebrew Day School, it becomes instantly clear.

Through Jewish education our children chisel their spiritual lenses for experiencing their world. Our experiential Jewish learning allows our children to celebrate and perpetuate our legacy, not only during the school years, but for a lifetime. We give our children the tools to learn and questions, and to create a meaningful and a personal relationship with Judaism. Jewish education is the cornerstone for Jewish life and Jewish continuity.

Our dual focus for success including academic rigor and social emotional learning sets the foundation for a school culture that authentically supports each child’s spiritual and intellectual growth, innate curiosity and creativity, and has the highest expectations for student achievement. Our curricula are chosen for their emphasis on analytical thinking, depth in learning and creative problem solving, and are implemented with fidelity. Everyone is encouraged to model effective communication skills, respectful language, collaboration, wonderment and a passion for knowledge. Each moment of our day is treated as an opportunity for exploration and personal growth. Our highest standards for academic learning are reached because the environment we create is fertile ground for learning and growth.

It is the greatest honor for us to offer the gift of IHDS to our children, a gift that will continue to give and grow throughout a lifetime.

Kol tuv,

Tammy Keces, MAIHDS Principal

Message from our Board:

At IHDS, we take pride in the fact that we have a diverse school population, and our children, parents and staff benefit from experiencing that diversity daily. Each of us comes with our own educational, cultural and religious backgrounds, our own skills, challenges, interests and personal goals. How fortunate for all of us that we can join together in one community, and experience that which links us all together.

At IHDS we are guided by the rabbinic aphorism: “Derech eretz kadma l’torah”, essentially, that being a mensch precedes all else. The most important thing is that our families and children feel comfortable asking questions, seek personally meaningful answers and feel deeply connected to the school community. At IHDS our children are taught the the language that sets the foundation for mutually respectful and meaningful relationships; it is our hope that we are setting the stage for a lifetime of building such relationships both for our children, and for ourselves.

IHDS is proud to serve the entire OC Jewish community and we value our welcoming and inclusive environment. I want to express my gratitude to our staff and families for building our beautiful IHDS community, together as one.